Journal box lid



May 30, 1944. G. MocoRMlcK ETAL JOURNAL BOX LID Filed June 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l TTMMIMUHHMWWWW-HMM.-

May 30, 1944- G. MccoRMlcK Erm. 2,349,973

JOURNAL BOX LID Filed June 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet? IHHHI Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE JOURNAL BOX LID said Williams,

said Ste said Thornton T. MeCo George McCormick phen McCormick, and rmick, assignors to said Application June 25, 1941, Serial No. 399,718

3 Claims.

This invention relates in general to journal boxes and has more particular reference to covers or lids for such boxes.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a simple and economically manufactured lid assembly for a journal box having a separable lid proper and means whereby the lid is readily removable and replaceable.

Another important object of the invention 1si the provision in a journal box lid assembly of a spring retainer having a key-way for receiving a key formed integral with the replaceable lid and means for removably confining the said key in the key-Way to form a unitary structure.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of means formed in the removable lid for receiving an oil resistant, water proof, resilient gasket, which forms a positive tight seal Von all surfaces of the journal box opening.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of means in the spring retainer for retaining a hinge pin in proper place by the spring tension of the lid assembly.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent as itis better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preisrred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figurel il is a front elevation view of a journal box lid assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the lid assembly taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the spring retainer means showing details of construction;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the spring retainer means taken on the line 4-4 oi.' Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a top edge view of the spring retainer means showing details of the hinge pin receiving means; and.

Fig. 6 is a, view of the central portion of the replaceable lid showing the flange and pin portion of the lid and spring retainer fastening means.

Referring to the drawings, reference character' 'I indicates the usual type of journal box having walls 8, a further description of which is thought unnecessary, as such construction is Well-known to those skilled in the art. provided with a hinge lug 9 on the top wall thereof to which a journal box lid assembly, designated generally at II)l is hingedly connected by means of a hinge pin II. 'I'he lid assembly com- The journal box is,

prises generally the lid proper I2, a spring retainer I3, and a duplex tension spring I4.

The spring retainer I3 comprises an upper Wall or spring housing portion I8, and a lower` base portion I9 extending beyond the spring housing portion and inwardly to the center of the lid assembly where it terminates in a relatively thicker and annular pin-receiving portion 2| which has an inner face 22 and an opening 23 for a purpose later to be described. The spring housing portion I8 overlies the coil portions 24 of the torsion spring I4 disposed in recesses or pockets 26 of the lower Abase portion I9 of the spring retainer I3, The torsion spring 25 is of the usual type provided for resiliently hold` ing the lid assembly. I0 in open orclosed position. The lever portion 2l of the spring is disposed Within a wear plate or roller 28, and the free ends 29 of the spring are positioned on lugs or seats 3| formed on the of the spring retainer I3.

Intermediate the pockets 26 there is formed in the base portion I9 a key-way on slot 32 into which is adapted to extend a key 33 formed integral with the face 34 of lid I2 to facilitate accurate positioning of the lid and the spring retainer and maintain the same is assembled relation. The lid face 34 is provided at its center with a raised, hub-like portion 35 having a pin formed integrally therewith which is adapted to enter the opening 23 in the pin-receiving portion 2l .of the base portion I9 of the spring retainer I3. The hub-like portion 35 is provided with a surfact 35 for engagement with the inner face 22 of the pin-receiving portion 2l.

As will be noted in Fig. 2, the opening 23 is of greater diameter than the pin 36, and relative movement therebetween is prevented by means of a bushing 3l which is adapted to enter the opening23 and surround the pin 36. A flange 38 is provided on the bushing 3l which is adapted to contact the fiat and annular outer face 39 of the pin-receiving portion 2| and prevent further entrance of the bushing into the opening 23. To maintain the bushing 31, lid pin 36 and spring retainer I3 in the above described assembled relation, a bore 4I is provided in the free end of the pin 36 into which is iorceda pin 42, thus forming a unit of simple construction.

To remove the lid I2, it is necessary only to l drive the pin 42 from the bore 4I, remove the bushing 3l and withdraw the pin 36 from the opening 23 and the key 33 out of the key-way 32 in the spring retainer I3. A new lid may be installed merely by reversing the above process. It

base portion I9 will be noted that the lid I2 is entirely separable and removable from the spring retainer I3, thereby permitting repair or replacement of the lid I2 without the necessity of removing the spring retainer I3 from the journal box l.

The lid I2 is provided with the usual annular and inwardly projecting ilange 43, and adjacent thereto at the point of contact or engagement with the faces of the walls of the journal box I is also provided with a dovetail slot or groove M adapted to receive a sealing gasket 45 which may consist of any oil, water and freeze resistant, resilient material, such as Corprene which is used in the present instance. The seal iii, which is cemented in the slot or groove, projects slightly therefrom so as to contact the end faces of the journal box walls, thereby providing a positive seal throughout the entire circumference of the opening; such seal being vastly superior to the metal to metal contact heretofore obtained in journal box and lid constructions, and eliminates the usual jar and shock attendant upon closing the box.

'Ihe spring retainer I3 is provided with axially spaced bearing-forming ears 48, which in the applied position of the retainer straddle the hinge lug 9. Opening through each ear 4I is a bore 49 to permit insertion of the hinge pin Il. Each bearingear additionally is formed with a rearward offset 50 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 5) which opens through the inner end of each bearing, but not through the outer end, thus leaving a shoulder 5I. The spacing between the shoulders 5I is just slightly greater than thelength of the hinge pin II, which will thus drop into the oifsets (as in Fig. 5) and thus be retained against endwise movement by the shoulders 5|. With the spring Il urging the retainer outwardly away from the hinge lug 9, the hinge pin will be held with its ends in the oifsets 50.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. In a journal box lid assembly, a unitary spring retainer having a base portion and a hood portion, a torsion spring disposed wholly vwithin afname said base portion and said hood portion and carried by said base portion, meas formed on said spring retained for hingedly connecting said spring retainer and said journal box, a lid member separable from said spring retainer and said journal box and having a pin provided with a bore extending centrally therefrom and a lug struck up from said lid at one end thereof, a plurality of apertures formed in said base portion of the spring retainer for reception of said pin and said lug, a bushing adapted tc embrace said pin, and means for removably maintaining said spring retainer, said lid member, and said bushing in assembled relation.

2. In a journal box lid assembly, a spring retainer having a base portion and a hood portion and hingedly connectable to a journal box, the said base portion being provided with upper and lower apertured portions, a separable lid member having a pin formed integrally therewith and extending centrally therefrom for projection through the lower apertured portion of the said base portion in assembled relation of the retainer and lid, removable means for retaining the pin and retainer in assembled relation, and means also formed integrally on said lid member for entrance into said upper apertured portion to facilitate accurate positioning of said lid member with respect to said spring retainer.

3. In a journal box lid assembly, a unitary spring retainer hingedly connectable to a journal box and having a base portion provided with upper and lower apertured portions, a separable lid member having an annular portion for cooperation with the lower extremity of said base portion and having a pin formed integrally there- V with and extending centrally therefrom for projection through the lower apertured portion in assembled relation of the retainer and lid, removable means for retaining the lid member and retainer in assembled relation, and additional inter-engaging means formed on said lid member for engagement with the upper aperture of said retainer to facilitate accurate positioning of "the parts and permit limited relative movement therebetween.

GEORGE MCCORMICK. LAUREN N. GRIFFITH. EDWARD J. CARTER. AUSTIN D. WILLIAMS. STEPHEN MCCORMICK. THORNTON T. McCORMICK. 

